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5 ingredient vegan salted date caramel cups which are incredibly easy to make and downright delectable. No added oil and ready in about 30 minutes!
Have you tried date caramel before? If not, what are you waiting for?! I can’t believe how incredibly delicious is it. Not to mention, it’s a WAY healthier alternative to regular caramel and I think it tastes even better!
I came across date caramel kind of on accident, to be honest. I am not a big caramel fan but I was making my chewy granola bar copycat recipe (which is on my Instagram for now, it will be on the blog soon!). When I mixed up the dates with some coconut cream, I couldn’t help but notice how much it tasted like caramel, and thus, my love for date caramel was born.
I wasn’t sure how I wanted to use the date caramel in a recipe until it dawned on me that EVERYTHING is awesome when it’s paired with dark chocolate so, let me tell you a little bit about these vegan salted date caramel cups!
They are rich, decadent, mouthwatering and the perfect treat to keep in the fridge. They contain only 5 ingredients and take about 30 minutes to make!
What in Them?
Medjool Dates: the holy grail of dates, in my opinion 🙂 I actually only recently starting using medjool dates as I was buying deglet noor in bulk before. As soon as I tried medjool, I couldn’t get over the taste! They are so soft and sweet with a delicious caramel taste, hence why they make a great caramel! I don’t recommend using deglet noor for this recipe, it won’t taste the same.
Canned Coconut Cream: I tried making the date caramel without the coconut cream, but it wasn’t nearly as good! The canned coconut cream adds a creamy richness to the caramel. Canned full-fat coconut milk will work too, just make sure to use the thick cream that’s in the top of the can.
Dark Chocolate Chips: the dark chocolate pairs so well with the date caramel. You can use any chocolate chips you like, but I love them with the dark! Since these cups don’t contain any added oil, I highly recommend this brand of chocolate chips. I have found these melt the best without having to add oil.
You will also use vanilla extract, salt, and a little water to thin. That’s it!
How to Make
First, you will need a standard muffin pan, muffin liners and a food processor.
Start by adding your date caramel ingredients into the food processor. Since we are only using a small handful of ingredients, I use the smaller bowl attachment that comes with my food processor so it mixes up easier. If you don’t have a small bowl attachment, it will be tough to blend, so just double the caramel recipe and save the leftover in the fridge! Win win 🙂
Pulse until everything is well combined and you see a thick caramel texture. You will need to stop a couple times and scrape the caramel off the sides of the food processor and down toward the blade. At this point, add a small splash or two of water and pulse some more, until your desired consistency is reached.
Once your date caramel is done, add your chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time. Microwave for a total of 2 minutes.
Add your muffin liners to your muffin pan (this makes 7 large cups) and start adding the melted chocolate. Use enough to just cover the bottom of the cup.
Next, add your date caramel. This will be sticky. I use about 1/2 to 3/4 a tbsp or so for each cup. Using the back of a spoon or your fingers, lightly press down on the caramel and spread it out a little bit on top of the chocolate.
Add more melted chocolate to each cup, just enough so that it covers the date caramel.
Put the entire muffin pan in the freezer for 15 minutes, sprinkle salt on top of the cups, then enjoy! These should be stored in the refrigerator.
If you make this recipe, don’t forget to take a photo and tag @wholesome.crumbs on Instagram!
Vegan Salted Date Caramel Cups [GF]
Equipment
- You will need: a standard muffin pan, muffin liners and a food processor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed medjool dates about 5-6 dates
- 1 tbsp canned coconut cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- water to thin
- 1 bag Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Start by adding your date caramel ingredients into the food processor. Since we are only using a small handful of ingredients, I use the smaller bowl attachment that comes with my food processor so it mixes up easier. If you don't have a small bowl attachment, it will be tough to blend, so just double the caramel recipe and save the extra in the fridge! Win win 🙂
- Pulse until everything is well combined and you see a thick caramel texture. You will need to stop a couple times and scrape the caramel off the sides of the food processor and down toward the blade. At this point, add a small splash or two of water and pulse some more, until your desired consistency is reached.
- Once your date caramel is done, add your chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time. Microwave for a total of 2 minutes.
- Add your muffin liners to your muffin pan (this makes 7 large cups) and start adding the melted chocolate. Use enough to just cover the bottom of the cup.
- Next, add your date caramel. This will be sticky. I use about 1/2 to 3/4 a tbsp or so for each cup. Using the back of a spoon or your fingers, lightly press down on the caramel and spread it out a little bit on top of the chocolate.
- Add more melted chocolate to each cup, just enough so that it covers the date caramel.
- Put the entire muffin pan in the freezer for 15 minutes, sprinkle salt on top of the cups, then enjoy! These should be stored in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Canned full-fat coconut milk will work too, just make sure to use the thick cream that’s in the top of the can.
- If you don’t have a small bowl attachment, it will be tough to blend, so just double the caramel recipe and save the extra in the fridge! Win win 🙂
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